Cabinet approves resignations of Lt Gen Faiz Hameed, Lt Gen Azhar Abbas

ISLAMABAD – The Sharif-led federal Cabinet has approved the resignations of Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed and Lieutenant-General Azhar Abbas.

The development comes as Bahawalpur corps commander and former director-general of the Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant-General Faiz Hamid takes early retirement ahead of the Army's change of command.

It was reported that the federal cabinet approved the resignations of Lt Gen Faiz Hameed and Lt Gen Azhar Abbas through circulation. The retirement of Lt Gen Faiz will be effective from December 10, while the retirement of Lt Gen Azhar Abbas will be effective immediately.

Hameed is slated to retire in April next year however he decides to step down at the earliest. 

The three-star general was among the six senior-most generals whose name was included by Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in the list of potential candidates for the two top military offices, sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approval.

Earlier, media reports suggest that Lt Gen Azhar Abbas decides to take early retirement to maintain his 'grace, and dignity' as a decorated officer.

Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed resigns a day before Army's change of command

Both officers bid adieu as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif picked Lieutenant General Syed Asim Munir as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC).